5 Updates on Jon Jones/Alexander Gustafsson After UFC 165 Classic

Gustafsson Admits He Was Rocked but Not Rolled

The closest either fighter came to stopping the other went down in the fourth round when Jones connected with a beautiful spinning elbow to Gustafsson's temple. The blow clearly staggered the Swede and nearly served as the initial strike in a finishing sequence. Gustafsson doesn't deny he was hurt but he wasn't ready to go down by any means, stating, “I saw stars. It was a good shot. I wasn’t out. I was still in control. I just kept trying to move.”

Jones Won't Be Hobbled for Long but Isn't Seeking Immediate Rematch

A major concern coming out of last weekend's clash had to do with Jones suffering some sort of foot injury. Things were initially believed to be so severe one of his coaches referred to the foot as being "shattered". However, as Ariel Helwani reported on UFC Tonight, Jones isn't as bad off as believed. According to his report, “He told me he did not break his foot. It’s just a deep bruise and he should be good to go in a few weeks. Right after the fight he thought the most-fair thing to do was to grant Alexander Gustafsson a rematch. Now, after watching the fight over ten more, Jones thinks he decisively won rounds two, four and five and that he decisively won the fight, so the most-fair thing to do is to move on.”

Famed Cutman Jacob Duran Reveals How Close the Clash Was to Being Stopped

Apparently there was a very real chance Jones could have ended up losing his title at UFC 165 while still being able to compete. As fans no doubt recall, a significant gash over Jones' eye caused him problems from early on in the effort. According to Jacob Duran, the best in the business when it comes to handling cuts, a ringside doctor would ended things had he not intervened. "Stich" shed some light on the matter, saying, “During the fourth round, the ref John McCarty wanted to look at the cut. In the first three rounds, I had it under control. In the fourth round, he popped a vein and was bleeding pretty good. The ref and doctor wanted to look at the cut, but I told them I had it under control. I’ve worked with the doctor before and he knew my talents and he let it go one more round.”

Gustafsson Has a Hard Time Seeing Any Silver Linings

Gustafsson came closer to beating Jones than any other opponent "Bones" had faced in the past but still came up short. While Gustafsson has appreciated the support he's received from fans, he's understandably upset about how things played out. Recently he explained, “It’s been great, but I haven’t been this disappointed before. I really wanted that belt. It sucks.”

Jones Wants to Fight Glover Teixeira

Jones exited the Octagon with a ton of respect for Gustafsson but he has another challenge on his mind at the moment. According to a statement Jones recently made through the UFC, his sights are set on a showdown with Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian bad-ass is 22-2 and on a 20-fight winning streak. Said Jones, “I”m going to fight Glover and I will answer all the critics about the Gustafsson fight. I will fight Gustafsson after I fight Glover. I promise you, he will be next.”

The world of MMA is still riding a high from the incredible effort put forth from light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Swedish star Alexander Gustafsson in their UFC 165 tilt. The bout pitted two of the sport’s brightest young stars against one another, producing a match-up many have since labeled as the best 205-pound title-fight in the sport’s history. Now that the dust has settled, some interesting nuggets of information have started to surface including Gustafsson’s reaction to losing, the state of Jones’ injured foot, and insight on how close the clash was to being stopped after the fourth frame. (Photos by USA Today Sports Images)